The present invention generally relates to a system and method of configuring intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) within a network, and more specifically, to a system and method of configuring IEDs to facilitate standardized communication messages among a plurality of IEDs within a power system network.
Power systems generally include a plurality of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) which perform various functions including, but not limited to, protection, monitoring, control, and automation of an associated portion of the power system. For example, IEDs may be associated with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, energy management systems (EMS), distribution management systems (DMS), distribution automation (DA) systems, and teleprotection systems for power systems to name a few. Each IED generally performs different functions and is typically manufactured by different companies. Likewise, the communication protocols, messaging structures and messaging sequences used often varies from IED to IED.
Because there was a desire to more easily network these IEDs together and, in essence, merge the varying communication capabilities of these different IEDs, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) instituted a standard for Communication Networks and Systems in Substations. This standard is commonly known as and is defined in the IEC 61850, the complete disclosure being incorporated by reference herein and made a part hereof. Although it is described to be applicable to substation automation systems (SAS), IEC 61850 may be applied across any portion or the entire power system. In addition to being a communication standard, IEC 61850 further covers qualitative properties of engineering-tools, measures for quality management, and configuration management.
Part 6 of the IEC 61850 standard defines a specific configuration language which allows users to exchange device descriptions and system parameters among different IEDs. This language is referred to as a Substation Configuration Language (SCL) and is based on eXtensible Markup Language (XML). An IED is considered to be compatible with IEC 61850 if it
a) is accompanied either by an SCL file describing its capabilities, or by a tool, which can generate this file from the IED, and
b) can directly use a system SCL file to set its communication configuration, as far as a setting is possible in the IED, or it is accompanied by a tool which can import a system SCL file to set these parameters to the IED.
IEC 61850 defines four types of SCL files—IED Capability Description (ICD) files, System Specification Description (SSD) files, Substation Configuration Description (SCD) files, and Configured IED Description (CID) files. ICD files describe the capabilities of an IED. ICD files generally comprise an IED section, data type templates, logical node type definitions, an optional communication section and an optional substation section which denotes the physical entities corresponding to the IED. SSD files describe the specification of the related system (e.g., a single line diagram of the substation and the required logical nodes). SSD files generally comprise a substation description section, data type templates, and logical node type definitions. SCD files describe the complete substation or power system detail. SCD files generally comprise a description section for each IED, a communication configuration section and a substation description section. CID files are used to communicate data or settings between an IED and a configuration tool of an IED. CID files generally include a communication section which contains the current address of the IED.
Using a software configuration tool, a CID file for an IED is typically generated from an ICD file that describes the IED along with the respective CID files from other IEDs of the same or different manufacturers and/or from an SCD file. The CID file and other IED settings are transferred or programmed into the IED for field service.
IEC 61850 further provides both high-speed communication for protection/control functions and medium speed communication (e.g., through messaging) for monitoring power system quantities and status over a network such as, for example, Ethernet local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). For example, IEC 61850 defines a Generic Object-Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE) protocol which is a high-speed messaging protocol useful for communicating protection/control functions and status between IEDs. GOOSE messages transmitted by a specific IED are defined within its CID file as a data set composed of several functionally constrained data attributes (FCDA). Each FCDA describes a subset or sub-hierarchy of data within the full data hierarchy defined by the ICD or CID of the IED.
The following XML code is an example of the basic structure and elements of an SCL for an IED with the name 487B_1, the type 487B, and the manufacturer SEL. The structure of these attributes and values is defined in the IEC 61850 standard.
<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“utf-8”?><SCL xmlns=“http://www.iec.ch/61850/2003/SCL”><Communication></Communication><IED name=“SEL_487B_1” type=“SEL_487B” manufacturer=“SEL” configVersion=“ICD-487B-R100-V0-Z001001-D20060512”><AccessPoint name=“S1”><Server><LDevice desc=“Data sets and control blocks” inst=“CFG”><LN0 InType=“LN0” InClass=“LLN0” inst=“”><DataSet name=“Small_GOOSE_DataSet1”><FCDA IdInst=“ANN” prefix=“CCOUT” InClass=“GGIO” InInst=“20”doName=“Ind01” daName=“stVal” fc=“ST” /><FCDA IdInst=“ANN” prefix=“CCOUT” InClass=“GGIO” InInst=“20”doName=“Ind02” daName=“stVal” fc=“ST” /><FCDA IdInst=“ANN” prefix=“CCOUT” InClass=“GGIO” InInst=“20”doName=“Ind03” daName=“stVal” fc=“ST” /></DataSet>...<GSEControl name=“GooseTX” datSet=“Small_GOOSE_DataSet1”confRev=“1” appID=“SEL_487B_1”></GSEControl>...</LN0><LN InType=“LPHD1” InClass=“LPHD” inst=“1” prefix=“CFG”>...</LN></LDevice>...</Server></AccessPoint></IED><DataTypeTemplates>...</DataTypeTemplates></SCL>
While IEC 61850 provides for a communications protocol which addresses previous interoperability between IEDs from different manufacturers, there are a number of areas that the standard either neglects, or dispenses with by deeming it a local issue to be resolved independently. For example, IEC 61850 fails to provide a method which allows a specific IED to describe within its CID file which GOOSE messages of other IEDs within the system that it should receive. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method which provides a CID file that specifies which GOOSE message a particular IED should receive.
IEC 61850 further fails to provide a method for modifying the capabilities beyond those described with the ICD file originally provided by the manufacturer. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for modifying such capabilities without upgrading the firmware or internal software of the IED.
These and other desired benefits of the preferred embodiments, including combinations of features thereof of the invention will become apparent from the following description. It will be understood, however, that a process or arrangement could still appropriate the claimed invention without accomplishing each and every one of these desired benefits, including those gleaned from the following description. The appended claims, not these desired benefits, define the subject matter of the invention. Any and all benefits are derived from the multiple embodiments of the invention, not necessarily the invention in general.